


Learning to Grow

by Randomness1964



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Gen, I cried writing the prologue and the first chapter, I got two different prompts on tumblr and they fit together in this, This is sad my dudes, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, because this smol child never learned how to deal with things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 17:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14383845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomness1964/pseuds/Randomness1964
Summary: Tumbler is forced to leave his friends and family and has to learn to move on without them.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a set up so that the first chapter makes sense.

“Skittery, we need to talk,” Kloppman motioned for the boy to follow him. Skittery just assumed he was being blamed for something he hadn’t done, again. So Skittery followed Kloppman, expecting the man to stop at his desk but instead he held his office door open. Now, Skittery had been there longer than almost all the other boys here, except maybe Jack, and he had never once gone into Kloppman’s office. That was the one rule any of the newsies actually followed. Stay out of Kloppman’s office. So it was understandable when Skittery hesitated.  


“Skittery, this is something that we have to discuss privately. You have permission to come into my office.” So Skittery followed Kloppman in, and looked around. There were all sorts of trinkets and art projects from the newsies. Skittery even recognized a few from when he was younger and felt a rare rush of nostalgia. Kloppman sat behind his desk which was on the opposite side of the room from his bed, and motioned for Skittery to sit in one of the seats in front. Skittery did so, feeling very much like a child.  


Kloppman took a deep breath to collect his thoughts before speaking, “I’m sure you’re aware that you’re aware that we aren’t technically supposed to have Tumbler here. He should be in an orphanage.” Skittery nodded. He knew this but Kloppman let the young boy stay because Skittery had promised to take care of him.  


“The Children’s Aid Society found out about him. We have until Friday to make a decision. Either we find someone to adopt him, or he gets taken to an orphanage.”  


“He can’t go to an orphanage,” Skittery responded immediately. He knew kids weren’t very well looked after in orphanages and Tumbler needed a lot of attention. “Can you make some connections to find someone to adopt him?”  


Kloppman nodded, “I figured you’d feel that way about it. Tomorrow morning I’ll get in touch with some people and find out who’d be willing to adopt him. Not everyone is going to want a kid like him. Come by here in the afternoon so you can meet some of the people who would be interested. But I’m going to need your help.” Skittery didn’t respond, unsure of how he was supposed to help in this situation.  


“You have to be the one to tell him. He trusts you more than anyone else. If someone else tried to tell him, I think he’d fight it. I think he’d accept the news from you.”  


Skittery’s heart broke, “I’ll do that tomorrow.”


	2. I Thought We Were Familiy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumbler gets the news that he's going to be adopted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from the prompt I was given

Tumbler was walking home from Tibby’s after dinner that night. He hadn’t eaten much, but it was enough for him to know that he would be okay. Skittery had skipped dinner that night, saying he felt sick at the thought of food. Tumbler knew and respected that sometimes Skittery didn’t feel like eating, even if he didn’t understand it.  


_Maybe Skits will want to eat something sweet later_ , Tumbler thought as he passed the sweet shop. So he decided to walk in and buy Skittery a piece of saltwater taffy for later. If it had been for himself, he probably would have just swiped it but because it was for his big brother, Tumbler knew he should buy it. Skittery didn’t like it when he stole things. After thanking the shopkeeper, he walked the rest of the way back to the lodging house.  


When Tumbler reached the lodging house he paid Kloppman to stay the night and looked for Skittery. There was no sign of him so Tumbler assumed that he was out with some of the older newsies still. He went over to the other younger newsies to play marbles and pass time. Marbles had found some new marbles in the streets today so they were admiring the new ones when Skittery finally walked in with Jake, Snitch, and Itey. Tumbler got up from the game and walked over to Skittery, excited to hand him the sweet.  


“Hey Skits! I bought ya something,” Tumbler said, excitedly taking out the saltwater taffy from his pocket and presenting it to Skittery.  


Skittery smiled and took the candy, “Thanks kiddo. I’ll save it for later.” Tumbler noticed there was something sad about his brother’s smile. He knew that sometimes Skittery had bad days where he was sad and couldn’t explain it but this was different. It was like Skittery knew something was going to happen.  


“Is something wrong, Skits?”  


Skittery sighed and glanced over at Kloppman for a second before looking back at Tumbler. “We gotta talk about something kiddo. Let’s go up to the roof so no one bothers us okay?”  


Tumbler nodded and grabbed Skittery’s hand, wondering what could possibly be this important. _Did he think I stole the candy? Did he find out about the other times I’ve stolen candy? Is he going to have to stop being a newsie now that he’s older? Maybe he can adopt me once he has a place to live. He’s mentioned that before._ All these thoughts and more raced through Tumbler’s mind as the pair went up to the roof, where many newsies went to hold private conversations. Skittery pulled two of the overturned flower pots next to each other and motioned for Tumbler to sit on one of them. He chose the shorter of the two and sat, Skittery sat on the other. There were several moments of uncomfortable silence before Skittery said anything.  


“Kloppman pulled me aside yesterday after you had gone to bed so we could talk about stuff. He told me,” Skittery paused and ran his fingers through his hair, unsure how to phrase it. The kid was sensitive and was always pretty set on staying with Skittery. He sighed and looked at the kid’s face. The kid he’d been looking after and protecting for five years now, almost six. It had to be said, it had to be done.  


“He told me to tell you that on Thursday you’re being adopted.” Skittery waited for a reaction. But there was none. Tumbler just stared at him for several minutes before saying anything.  


“No. No you’re going to grow up and get a new job and adopt me. That’s what you always told me, Skits. That’s what’s going to happen. Right?” Tumbler couldn’t believe what he’d just been told. It went against everything Skittery had told him. Skittery was supposed to raise him, not some stranger. Skittery looked away, which was strange. Skittery always looked him in the eyes during serious conversations.  


“I’m sorry kiddo. I wish there was another way but,” Skittery took a shaky breath to try and calm his nerves, “I’m sorry.” He pulled Tumbler into a tight hug, this kid was his everything. Losing him was going to be hard. He didn’t want to let go but Kloppman had explained everything. A kid this young isn’t supposed to live in a lodging house. A deal was made that either Kloppman found someone to adopt Tumbler or he’d be forced to live in an orphanage. Skittery and Kloppman had decided that adoption would be better, Tumbler needed a lot of attention after all. Tumbler didn’t hug back. Instead he started crying. Through the sobs Skittery could make out five words.  


“I thought we were family.”


End file.
